Mayor, Council shake hands on budget

NEW YORK -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council last night agreed to the framework of a $62.9 billion budget that cuts libraries from six to five days, but won't close any fire companies or public pools and keeps most senior centers open.

Once again, Staten Island avoided some of the harshest cuts.

The two sides struck the deal on a spending plan for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1, after marathon negotiations in City Hall. The Council plans to formally approve the budget in a vote next week.

Associated Press"We think we'll be able to avoid cutbacks that will be destructive to New Yorkers. So pain yes, serious damage, no," Mayor Bloomberg said at an announcement last night prior to a symbolic handshake deal with Council Speaker Christine Quinn on the steps on the City Hall rotunda.

The final budget is much improved from the ominous executive budget Bloomberg introduced in January, which proposed $1.3 billion in cuts and included thousands of layoffs. That figure was reduced by about $400 million, which helps prevents hundreds of layoffs without raising property or sales taxes.

The deal was sealed without knowing exactly how much money will come from Albany, where the governor and legislature have been deadlocked over a budget for nearly three months. The city is also assuming Congress will restore about $600 million in Medicaid funding.

The city will still have to lay off at least 1,000 municipal workers, reduce 2,000 teachers through attrition and close a half dozen daycare centers and up to 10 senior centers - though no closures are expected on the Island.

"We think we'll be able to avoid cutbacks that will be destructive to New Yorkers. So pain yes, serious damage, no," Bloomberg said at an announcement prior to a symbolic handshake deal with Council Speaker Christine Quinn on the steps on the City Hall rotunda.

Ms. Quinn engineered a last minute push to restore about $37 million to save 20 FDNY engine companies from being shuttered, including Engine 161 in South Beach. Though the Council had successfully fought to keep four FDNY companies open last year, Bloomberg proposed closing those four again - plus 16 others - when in his executive budget.

The administration also agreed to re-evaluate a proposal to cut yellow bus service for seventh- and eighth-graders at 70 schools, including 41 in the borough. They may have been motivated by a lawsuit to stop the plan filed yesterday in state Supreme Court in St. George by Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) and his borough colleagues. The first court hearing is scheduled for next Thursday.

In the end, Ignizio said the budget was "relatively pain free" for Islanders.

"What began as a doomsday budget ended as just a haircut," Ignizio said.

Council Minority Leader James Oddo (R-Mid-Island) noted that spending will still increase by about $3.6 billion next year.

"I will always have my fundamental disagreements with how much we will spend as a city. But given the potential pain, the Council passed a responsible budget," Oddo said.

Freshman Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North) was pleased that some funds were restored to Meals on Wheels and dropout prevention programs, and that the West Brighton Pool and West Brighton senior center were spared the budget axe.

"I know everyone will not be happy with the budget that was announced," Ms. Rose said. "Given the circumstances, however, I think the outcome represents a positive result for the city and the communities on the North Shore."